


Fever

by Krank



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Bromance, Drabble, Fever, Golfing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sickness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-09
Updated: 2013-11-09
Packaged: 2017-12-31 22:48:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krank/pseuds/Krank
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>One of the few times that Harry has ever felt helpless. </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fever

**Author's Note:**

> Oof I don't know. I worked this over, but it's still a really weird piece.

There were very few moments in Harry’s life where he had felt completely and utterly helpless. He’d felt that way following his first elimination from X-Factor, before getting herded in to a band with his boys. He’d felt it again the night his voice had failed him on their first television performance. However, when it came down to it, Harry tried to live positively, and keep a group of wonderful people around him. There was always someone within reach if he needed help.

That was until Harry had made plans to go golfing in LA with a slightly under-the-weather Niall. He hadn’t been feeling one hundred percent the day before. He wasn’t _sick_ , per say, just _slower_. He slept quite a bit, and his appetite was unnaturally small.

The following morning, though, Niall jumped out of bed, ready to go. He wandered in to the kitchen of the house management had rented during their stay, looking sleepy and adorably frumpy in his flannel pants and t-shirt.

“You sure you’re feeling all right?” Harry asked, peeling a banana for his breakfast.

“I wouldn’t back out on our golf day, Harry,” Niall replied, clearly trying for enthusiasm.

Harry gave him a smile and they set out for their favorite course.

They hired a golf cart and set out. It was oddly cloudy that day in Los Angeles, with a slight breeze. It was nice weather for golfing, though. No one liked to stand out in the scorching heat of California, especially Niall.

Harry liked to golf with Niall because both of them genuinely liked the game. Out on the green it was quiet, and they could just enjoy each other’s company. Niall was easy to be around. He was easygoing, and ridiculously blunt if he had something on his mind. Harry never had to guess with Niall, he always knew.

As they golfed, Harry tried not to think too much about how quiet Niall seemed to be, or how poor his game was going. Every golfer had their bad days, and perhaps it was Niall’s turn. It didn’t help that the boundary of the golf course was lined with paps, eagerly documenting their every move with their cameras. It took away from the serenity that Harry enjoyed about the sport.

“You’re feeling okay, then?” Harry asked as they were loading up the cart to carry on to the next hole.

Niall nodded quickly, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. “Of course! Feelin’ great.”

When they reached the end of the fifth hole, Harry pulled out his phone to check his messages while Niall was putting. There was a single text from Louis sending out the Bat Signal to all the boys, requesting that they meet for dinner in downtown LA. Harry immediately brightened, knowing that the invitation would undoubtedly lift Niall’s spirits.

Harry turned towards his band mate. “Hey, Ni! Louis wants to-“ Harry stopped short. Time itself seemed to slow down as Harry’s eyes zeroed in on Niall’s swaying body. As Harry watched, unable to move, Niall’s club slipped from his grasp as his knees gave out. He pitched sideways, crumpling to the ground.

Harry’s heart sank in to the bottom of his stomach.

“ _Niall_!” He shrieked, racing to close the distance between them. He fell to his knees beside him. “Niall, are you alright?”

The blonds’ eyes were closed, his cheeks red. He was sweating, and when Harry placed a hand to his forehead, he felt heat radiating from him. He was burning up with a fever.

It was then that Harry began to panic. Their cart was back at the beginning of the hole; leaving Harry no way to get both Niall and their clubs back at once. He’d have to make two trips, leaving Niall by himself either way. He knew they were being filmed and photographed, and that Niall’s fainting would make the entertainment news that evening. Harry felt like some sort of spectacle, surrounded by people with no one to lean on.

He felt _helpless_.

He could see the photographers, and hear the snapping of their shutters as they took advantage of the moment, locking down their paychecks for the week. He leaned forward, attempting to shield Niall from them further. He gave them all a frown, as if that might deter them from doing their jobs. It angered him a little, but he also felt pity for the jobs they had taking pictures of uninteresting kids like him.

Harry suddenly heard a groan, and looked down to see Niall stirring. “Niall?” He breathed, tapping his cheek lightly. Niall rolled on to his back, his mouth turning down in to a pout. “ _Niall_?”

“What?” He rasped, blinking up at him wearily. Harry was relieved to see his blue eyes again, even if they were glazed and distant. “Did I fall over?”

Harry wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or cry.

He helped Niall up, supporting him on their way back to the golf cart. Despite Niall’s protests, Harry jogged back to get their clubs, carrying both bags on his back. When he got back, Niall was sprawled in the passenger seat. As Harry sat down behind the wheel, Niall immediately used him as a pillow.

“I scared you,” he drawled as they drove down the nicely paved pathway towards the country club.

Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair. He really needed a haircut. “You didn’t – yeah, maybe a little.”

“’M sorry I ruined our golf day.”

Harry looked down at the blond on his shoulder. His eyes were closed, his face still flushed and sweaty. He was still burning, though he was conscious, at least. His dizziness had left him. “You didn’t ruin our day, Niall. Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling this bad?”

Niall pursed his lips, giving his best shrug. “Didn’t think it was important.”

“Of course it’s important!” Harry made an exaggerated hand gesture, feeling exasperated. “It’s your health. You need to take care of yourself… not to mention the boys would string me up if something worse had happened.

Niall chuckled. “That’s silly.”

“It’s true, you know. You’re important to all of us.” Harry felt himself becoming emotional. “And you’re the only blond one, so we need to keep you in top shape to maintain the balance of the universe.”

Niall laughed harder, but it soon turned in to a moan as he nuzzled Harry’s polo shirt. “Feel like shit.”

“And whose fault is that?”

 

Later, once Harry had gotten Niall safely back to the house and called Paul to alert him to the events of the day and the resulting media frenzy that was on it’s way; he sat with Niall in the upstairs living room, keeping him company while he rested on the couch.

“I really am sorry.”

Harry reached over and ruffled Niall’s hair. “Just don’t ever feel the need to please me this much again. I can go a day without golf if you’re going to faint over it.”

Niall gave a short nod, burrowing further down in to the sofa. “Understood.”


End file.
